With Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum sidelined for the remainder of the Japanese Convention Semifinals, Jaylen Brown was compelled to step up Friday evening inside Madison Sq. Backyard, inheriting the mantle of Superman as soon as extra along with his workforce getting ready to elimination.
His early efficiency within the Celtics’ 119-81 Recreation 6 loss in opposition to the Knicks was nothing wanting heroic.
Brown accounted for all 5 of Boston’s factors 5 minutes into the sport. After eight minutes, he had eight of the workforce’s 10 factors. And by the top of the primary quarter, he had scored 13 of the Celtics’ 20 factors, as they trailed 26-20 heading into the second quarter.
Then the Knicks snapped open their lead-lined briefcase and unleashed Kryptonite within the type of stifling protection.
On the 10:19 mark of the second quarter, Brown caught the ball within the left nook, along with his toes set behind the 3-point line, and had a seemingly wide-open take a look at the basket. By then, the debilitating results of the Kryptonite had been already taking its toll.
Robinson surged in, protecting floor sooner than anticipated. He trapped Brown within the nook, stole the ball, and the Knicks raced downcourt for a straightforward layup, pushing the rating to 33-20.
Brown, his Superman power sapped, mustered solely 5 factors within the second quarter, as Boston staggered to only 38 factors as a workforce. And an injured Tatum, a fellow Justice Leaguer on this metaphor, was powerless to help them.
The Knicks surged to a 64-37 halftime lead, with no Celtic in addition to Brown scoring greater than 5 factors.
Brown fouled out with 2:50 left within the third quarter, banished to the Phantom Zone, hanging up his cape with 20 factors on 8-for-20 capturing. The remainder of his teammates shot a mixed 23-for-66 in Boston’s most crushing defeat of the season, with Al Horford as the one different Celtics starter to succeed in double digits.
The Knicks have radiated champion vitality for the previous couple of seasons beneath head coach Tom Thibodeau. Now they’ve toppled the East’s reigning Supermen, hovering to their first Japanese Convention Finals for the reason that Invoice Clinton period. They’ll face the Indiana Pacers, a workforce filled with Barry Allen-esque speedsters, in Recreation 1 on Wednesday.
The Celtics’ 2024 title run proved their power, however this postseason loss uncovered flaws, even when Tatum was wholesome earlier within the sequence. GM Brad Stevens faces an important offseason to take care of their may.
For now they retreat to TD Backyard, their Fortress of Solitude, therapeutic and scheming up a plan for redemption.
Initially Revealed: Might 16, 2025 at 10:57 PM EDT
